Can You Spot Why These Stock Photo Models Almost Burned Their Hands Off?

Stock photography models can fail at anything and wear a pearly white smile. But can they also withstand flesh-melting temperatures and still manage to project confidence and success?

As keen observers of the maker movement, Mic is always on the lookout for tech-savvy projects — like a handmade Netflix and Chill button or an animatronic wall of dancing 3-D printed penises. But when doing our research (OK, browsing Reddit for fun), we stumbled upon this alarming trend in tech-lifestyle photography:

It appears as though her hand is in contact with the cover over the heating element of the soldering iron, meaning that either the iron is off (deceptive!) or she is delivering a winning performance while withstanding the rapid melting of her flesh.

She's doing what? She's soldering, pronounced "SAH-der-ing." That device melts wires together so users can connect circuits. The tip of a soldering iron is about 600 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Skin melts at about a third of that temperature, and if her hands were made of paper, they would rapidly burst into flame.

And — oh, God — she's not the only one. There's a battalion of untrained tech hobbyists making a living in stock photography. Check out the seductive quality of this fellow in the middle, even as he renders the nerve endings in his hand permanently lifeless:

Don't stop reading: Getting involved with a soldering product can be a great hobby if you want to make internet-connected sex toys by hand, or just make a remote-control stun gun you can affix to the bottom of a drone.

Check this site out for more info on how to get started with prototyping dope DIY tech projects. Or you can find a maker space — a meeting hub where makers get together to share tips, projects and designs. It's a perfect date spot for that stock photography model in your life who needs a new creative project... or just an intervention.